The G3 is an option for people who want a high-end phone

LG Electronics has launched the G3, another option for people who want a high-end smartphone. To succeed, the device will have to outcompete products like the Galaxy S5 from Samsung, and it has the hardware specifications to do it.

Processors

The G3 and the LTE version of Samsung's smartphone are powered by Qualcomm's quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor running at 2.5GHz. One of the rumors regarding the G3's spec sheet was the inclusion of the Snapdragon 805 processor, which should already be in use by now, according to what Qualcomm said last year. But in the end, LG chose the same processor as everyone else -- the 801.

The screen

In the run-up to the launch of the Galaxy S5 it was reported that Samsung would choose to upgrade the screen resolution, but in the end the company decided to stick with a 1920 by 1080 pixel resolution on the 5.1-inch screen. LG, on the other hand, has gone all-in, and used an in-house-developed screen that measures 5.5 inches and has a 2560 by 1440 pixel resolution, or quad HD.

Both the G3 and Galaxy S5 have 16GB or 32GB of integrated storage, which can be expanded using microSD cards. The LG smartphone has either 2GB or 3GB of RAM, while the S5 has 2GB of RAM.

Camera

Like many smartphone makers, Samsung and LG are hoping that an improved camera can get consumers to open their wallets. The Galaxy S5 has a 16-megapixel camera, while the G3 has a 13-megapixel camera with optical imaging stabilization, which is something the Samsung device lacks.

An area both companies have worked on is the speed it takes for the camera to focus. LG has done this using technology that was originally meant for use in a vacuum cleaner robot. It uses an infrared laser beam to measure the distance to the subject.

Availability

The Galaxy S5 started shipping around the world in the beginning of April. The G3 will start shipping in June in the U.S. and Europe. However, smartphone buyers in LG's home country will be able to buy it this week.